12 Improving call-to-thrombolysis times in acute MI If practicable, patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) should receive thrombolysis before they are transported to hospital, and such therapy should be administered by the first qualified person to see the patient, say researchers from the UK. They add that 'the only way the British Heart Foundation standard can be achieved in the majority of patients from country practices is for thrombolytic treatment to be given in the community'. The British Heart Foundation standard states that thrombolysis should be given to eligible patients within 90 minutes of their calling for medical help. 1046 patients with acute MI were included in this prospective, observational study. * 544 patients were from country practices and general practitioners (GPs) attended 528 (97%) of these patients before their transfer to hospital. GPs administered thrombolytic therapy to 1951544 (35%) patients; the median time from patients calling for medical help to them receiving thrombolysis (call-to-thrombolysis time) was 45 minutes. In these 195 patients, 93% of the call-to-thrombolysis times were within the British Heart Foundation standard. When thrombolytic therapy was not administered until after admission to hospital, the median call-tothrombolysis time was 150 minutes; only 5% of these times were within the recommended 90-minute time interval. Thrombolysis delayed 502 patients were from the city or suburbs of Aberdeen, Scotland, and GPs attended 340 (68%) of these patients. None of the patients received thrombolysis outside of hospital; the median call-to-thrombolysis time was approximately 100 minutes for both patients attended by GPs and those who were admitted to hospital via the accident and emergency department. For patients taken by ambulance directly to the coronary care unit, the median call-to-thrombolysis time was 58 minutes. * The study lila\" supported in part by Serorw Laboratories (UK) LId. Rawles J. Sinclair C. Jennings K. Ritchie L. Waugh N. Call to needle times after acute myocardial infarction in urban and rural areas in northeast Scotland: prospective observational study. British Medical Journal 317: 576-578. THERAPY 29 Aug 1998 Il007.,.,., Inpharma· 5 Sep 1998 No. 1153 1173-832419811153-000121$01.ocf> Adlslntemetlonal Limited 1998. All rights r-..ed

Improving call-to-thrombolysis times in acute MI

Download PDF Report

View
213
Download
0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Improving call-to-thrombolysis times in acute MI

If practicable, patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) should receive thrombolysis before they are transported to hospital, and such therapy should be administered by the first qualified person to see the patient, say researchers from the UK.

They add that 'the only way the British Heart Foundation standard can be achieved in the majority of patients from country practices is for thrombolytic treatment to be given in the community'. The British Heart Foundation standard states that thrombolysis should be given to eligible patients within 90 minutes of their calling for medical help.

1046 patients with acute MI were included in this prospective, observational study. *

544 patients were from country practices and general practitioners (GPs) attended 528 (97%) of these patients before their transfer to hospital. GPs administered thrombolytic therapy to 1951544 (35%) patients; the median time from patients calling for medical help to them receiving thrombolysis (call-to-thrombolysis time) was 45 minutes. In these 195 patients, 93% of the call-to-thrombolysis times were within the British Heart Foundation standard.

When thrombolytic therapy was not administered until after admission to hospital, the median call-tothrombolysis time was 150 minutes; only 5% of these times were within the recommended 90-minute time interval.

Thrombolysis delayed 502 patients were from the city or suburbs of

Aberdeen, Scotland, and GPs attended 340 (68%) of these patients. None of the patients received thrombolysis outside of hospital; the median call-to-thrombolysis time was approximately 100 minutes for both patients attended by GPs and those who were admitted to hospital via the accident and emergency department. For patients taken by ambulance directly to the coronary care unit, the median call-to-thrombolysis time was 58 minutes. * The study lila\" supported in part by Serorw Laboratories (UK) LId. Rawles J. Sinclair C. Jennings K. Ritchie L. Waugh N. Call to needle times after acute myocardial infarction in urban and rural areas in northeast Scotland:

prospective observational study. British Medical Journal 317: 576-578.

THERAPY

29 Aug 1998 Il007.,.,.,

Inpharma· 5 Sep 1998 No. 1153 1173-832419811153-000121$01.ocf> Adlslntemetlonal Limited 1998. All rights r-..ed